Choose fiscal conservatives in election [Letter]

As a voter, how do you decide on the right candidate for you?

I would consider myself a fiscal conservative, so I follow the money. Integrity is also an important factor, but often difficult to vet because after we vote we go back to the daily grind and rely on the media to keep us informed. Unfortunately, the media is not a watchdog, and most often we find out when it is too late that spending is out of control or our representative is not as forthright as we thought.

When you go to the polls this year, if you are a fiscal conservative and consider integrity, here are some points to consider. The commissioners' departmental budget doubled and over-all outstanding debt, not our annual debt payment, increased $3 million in four years. We have spent over $13 million in economic development over four years while continuing to have decreases in overall assessable base. Comparing 2013 to 2010, the revenue for personal property tax in the business category proceeds to decline.

The majority, Doug Howard, Haven Shoemaker and David Roush have passed four budgets in their term which have increased all fund source spending by 12 percent, equaling about $55 million more, solidifying that the property tax cuts had no adverse affect on spending . Has your paycheck seen a 12 percent increase over the past four years? Commissioners Robin Frazier and Richard Rothschild have voted no on each of our adopted budgets.

Howard, in 2010, promised he would not have a special assistant and one part time, if at all. Fast forward and he has employed two assistants, Roberta Windham, who is earning almost 40 percent more than a commissioner's salary, and Crystal Winebrenner who is said to be the relationship mentioned in the letters posted on his campaign website. Winebrenner was suddenly transferred from the commissioners' office in July and her contract terminated in September.

George Orwell said, "Political language ... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectful and give the appearance of solidity to pure wind." It is clear that the future of Carroll County will hold in the balance progress that is riddled with uncertainty. In the end, it is up to the voter to look deeply into the promises and history to decide if that candidate is for the good of all people.